In which we explore the options for getting round Bristol (*), and the consequences of those decisions.
(*) Excluding Fishponds.

Friday, 27 June 2008

Volkswagen AG: we care

VW do produce some low CO2 vehicles. Which they get lots of press for. A nice, friendly company that cares.But if you look at what they like to sell, its these toys. Which are entirely unsuited to Bristol, both in parking and general all round driving. Yet their sheer impracticability makes them a wonderful status symbol. If you can afford this, you have somewhere spacious to park it; you can afford lots of fuel. If it was affordable and sensible, it would not be a status symbol.Why do VW sell them it? Well, with a selling price of 3-4X a polo the margins are fantastic. Also, the official servicing charges are double for everything you'd ask the company to do.

Here we see what must be a collection of VW dealers at the Hotel du Vin, showing how much a positive contribution the VW product family makes to the city.

Note also that Porsche is planning to/has taken is share of Volkswagen AG above 50%, so they now own the company. That's the same Porsche who were fighting the plans for London to charge extra to group G vehicles entering the congestion zone -even those of residents. No doubt the Touareg fleet will also benefit if Boris scraps this change.

It was very tempting to go into the hotel and notify them that I'd just reported their pavement parking to the council and they had 15 minutes to move their toys off the pavement, but I didnt have time to hang around and watch the consequences.